Love with the Beast
by Misty Narumi
Summary: AU Aichi never imagined of finding himself in a fairy tale. KaixAichi. based on Beauty and the Beast
1. Prologue

Title: Love with the Beast

Genre: romance/fantasy

Pairing: Kai x Aichi- shonen-ai/boyxboy; Ren x Aichi one-sided

Summary: AU Aichi never imagined of finding himself in a fairy tale. Based on Beauty and the Beast

Note: I've listed some fan fic ideas for this series and made a journal of it on deviant art…. It seemed like this fic got the most votes….

Don't mind the OOC-ness… (sweats nervously)

Enjoy! I only own this story.

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_**Prologue **_

_Once upon a time, there lived a young Cardfighter…_

_He was ruthless, cold, and distant in every way, as he would crush his opponents at ease…one by one not caring of their well being. _

_He traveled from card shop to card shop, bars, and even had an underground duel every so often. He crushed any card fighter that crossed his path; although never battled against them for the second time as they would be a waste of time._

_He starved for power… he starved for more skill… high and low he would search for someone stronger than him, or perhaps at the same level as himself. _

_He soon met three young women, mysterious they were…. _

_They invited him to their card shop, a shop hidden from the public. As soon as he entered, the three women admitted they had been watching him closely and had piqued an interest in him. _

_Before he said a word, the women concluded of his cold behavior… _

_They chanted a spell upon the young Card fighter…. A curse. _

_No one except the witches heard his agonizing cries as his body formed into a horrifying beast. _

_He demanded an explanation…for him to turn him back to his human self. _

_The witches replied, "To clean up your act, you must first fall in love…" _

"…_Before the last petal of a rose falls…" _

"_Or else you shall remain a beast forever." _

_When night fell, the witches transferred the Beast to an abandoned manor several miles from civilization and prepared him "servants" to watch over the Beast. _

_Ever since that night, no one dared to enter the forest that held the manor or even visit the manor as rumors of a Beast rested there. _


	2. Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly in the sky with a few clouds floating above the Earth. A slight cool breeze whisked in the air, cooling the warm atmosphere. The weather forecast had predicted today would be a warm, yet cool day. The leaves and branches of the trees had stood slightly still as light winds were expected that day; and silence had enveloped the middle school area.

Aichi seemingly gazed out the window holding the side of his face in the palm of his hand. His mind wandered not paying any mind to the lecture going on in the classroom. He mentally sighed dreamily, closing his eyes and a smile graced his lips dreaming of far off places, daring sword fights, magical spells, a prince in disguise….

"Aichi Sendou…."

"…."

A loud whack at the boy's desk snapped him out of his fantasies making the boy whip his head, glancing upward at his teacher who stood beside his desk. Aichi gave a sheepish, apologetic smile as Mr. Mark gave an awkward, yet irritated cough before speaking.

"Nice to see you back on planet Earth," he joked calmly. "Now, would you like to answer question number eleven?"

"Um… what was the question?" Aichi asked, confused and slightly embarrassed. A few students in the classroom chuckled.

His teacher gave him a quizzical look before a sigh escaped his slightly parted lips. "It was part of your homework last night. I'm guessing you don't know." He turned his heel heading to the front of the classroom calling on a girl to answer the question.

Aichi slammed his forehead onto his desk hiding his red face of embarrassment as teasing laughter from his classmates that sat next him rang his ears. He prayed for school to end soon so he could rush home, lock himself in his room, and bury his head under his pillow separating himself from the world.

As if his prayers were answered, the school bell rang signaling the end of class and school. The blue-haired boy released a sigh of relief. Students gathered their belongings and headed towards the exit with the teacher reminding of tonight's homework. Aichi followed suit of his classmates before heading towards the locker room with Morikawa and Izaki tailing beside him.

"You embarrassed yourself in front of the entire class again, Aichi," Morikawa remarked, hands folded behind his head. Izaki mentally nudged him as he hushed the raven boy's name.

Aichi only frowned, mentally sighing. Morikawa didn't need to remind him of what happened earlier he mused irritably, hiding a hint of annoyance in front of his friends. He turned the dial right to left decoding the number code to open his lock. At the last number, the lock was released to let him open his locker. His cerulean orbs widened slightly with flushed cheeks before mentally sighing seeing of what was left in his locker.

A heart-shaped box of chocolates and a bouquet of red roses that was wrapped in glossy-like pearl-colored wrapper, ribbons tied around the wrapper with a bow adorned for a decorative touch. A piece of paper was tied to a string that led to the hidden stems behind the roses. The piece of paper read:

_To my beloved Princess Aichi, _

_Hope this will make your day bright after a long, grueling day in school~_

_Hearts, kisses, and 100 times more kisses and hearts, bunnies, and sweet candies!_

_Lots of love, _

_Your handsome Prince, _

_Ren. _

Most girls would squeal in delight if their crush or boyfriend had left such gift as a surprise, however, for Aichi was not like any of those girls. He first wondered how Ren Suzugamori, national champion of Vanguard tournaments who won numerous tournaments in how many years in a row, found his locker. Not to mention why Ren liked a noobie such as himself. The redhead would have chosen someone else, but that didn't work out that well. What did Ren see in Aichi that attract him so much to go lovesick over him? Aichi knew that he doesn't hold the same feelings as Ren.

"That Ren gave you another bouquet and chocolates, again?" Morikawa remarked loudly, almost in disbelief. Izaki glanced to the side murmuring, "no joke, Sherlock." the loud boy didn't seem to hear the brunette.

Aichi took out the bouquet and box of chocolates staring at them for a moment. The roses did smell nice and wondered if he should drop them off at his paternal grandfather's grave. His relative had passed away in the past year. He had received bouquets every week ever since he started 9th grade and had donated them as decorations for classrooms. He was nervous of explaining the bouquets to his mother and Emi, but he was able to hide the facts of giving it to them on certain "special" days. It may be a bit of an ungrateful act, he thought, but what was he supposed to do with all those flowers? They were too beautiful to waste. And Ren did not suspect any of his actions.

Aichi handed the chocolates to Morikawa. "You can eat them. I just… don't want to eat too much after lunch a bit awhile ago."

Without a second thought, Morikawa snatched the box out of the boy's hands and began to shove the chocolates in the his mouth. "Hey Aichi, you sure you don't want any? These are the best chocolates!"

"I'm sure," he replied sheepishly. Izaki studied him for a moment and sensed something is still bothering him. He snapped out of his thoughts when Morikawa shoved the box at him before giving Aichi a hard push towards the exit.

"Mor-Morikawa-kun!" Aichi said with a start.

"Time to start playing some Vanguard!"

"M-Morikawa-kun!" Aichi stammered as Morikawa continued to push him down the sidewalk. Aichi felt slightly embarrassed from the looks the citizens were giving them, but the raven-haired didn't seem to notice. The trio didn't notice as they passed by a blonde teen carrying a bag of groceries.

The blonde teen paused in his tracks for a moment to watch the trio walk down the sidewalk until they were no longer in earshot or eyeshot. He stared at them blankly, but his vision was mostly on Aichi. He slightly pursed his lips as he mused,

"Just me, or do I have a hunch that boy would help _milord_?"

After a moment passed, he shrugged off the thought and soon he entered the forest no one had dared enter heading towards the abandoned manor.


	3. Chapter 2

**Note: I decided to give Aichi's mother the name Nozomi. Enjoy!**

"Mou, Aichi! You had me worried for a moment when I didn't see you at your school's gate," Emi chided.

"I'm sorry, Emi; but Morikawa…"

Emi frowned into a small pout before releasing a breath, calming her nerves. It wasn't necessary to hold onto worry so much; but only if her brother…

The door to the Sendou residence opened with the siblings calling, "We're home!"

They had expected to hear their mother welcomed them, but their mother's voice was not heard.

"Mom?" Emi called. No answer. The siblings exchanged glances before separating themselves to look for their mother. Few moments of looking, Emi stepped out from one of the rooms stopping near the bottom of the stairs meeting Aichi slightly above her on the stairs.

"She's not in the kitchen, living room, dining room, or family room," Emi remarked.

"She's not in the bedroom, shower room, or bathroom either," Aichi added. There was a slight pause as they thought for a moment when they heard a screech and a sound of objects falling.

"KYAAA!"

"MOM!" Aichi and Emi quickly made their way towards the garage. As they swung open the door….

Nozomi knocked off a box near her side to a random part of the garage. She chuckled lightly assuring to her children that she was fine and that she didn't feel anything broken. She was sitting on the ground with piles of boxes of old toys and boxes of unwanted or broken items, and some other objects surrounding her. And a metal stool was knocked down beside her.

Aichi and Emi rushed down the stairs towards their mother. "What were you doing down here, Mom?" Aichi inquired.

"I entered into the annual Curry contest and I was looking for your late Grandfather's special recipe. Before your Father left on his business trip, his father lend him the list of ingredients before his death," Nozomi explained. "Your Grandfather was a chef, you know. A very good one."

"But… you had always made delicious curry," Emi argued lightly.

"I won 3rd place last year," the woman replied plainly, with a bit of disappointment. "It didn't leave that spark in the judges mouth." She sighed sadly before she placed a finger to her chin and thought out loud. "Where did your father put that list?"

"We'll help you look for it," Emi offered. "Right, Aichi?" her brother nodded. Nozomi clapped her hands with glee.

"Oh! Thank you!" she chimed.

Aichi, Emi, Nozomi searched high and low looking among the shelves, desks, behind towers of boxes, etc. The search lasted for a few moments until Aichi declared holding a piece of paper he found inside a box on top of a shelf.

"Is this the list?"

"Yes!" Nozomi happily hugged her son giving a chaste kiss on his forehead before doing the same thing for her daughter. She then urged them pushing them lightly up the stairs. "Go and clean yourselves up as I prepare dinner." She shut off the garage lights before closing the door after.

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Nozomi left the house sometime after breakfast the next day leaving Emi and Aichi alone in the house. Her children assured her that they'll be careful when it comes to strangers if they come by the house. Aichi worried mentally if Ren knew where he lived though tried to not let his outer features show it.

The woman read the list carefully making sure she gets the specific ingredients. The first place she went to was the local Marketplace to buy those ingredients. While she was there, it surprised her when she bumped into her mother-in-law.

"Nozo-chan, how are you?" Mrs. Sendou asked with a cheery grin. "My son isn't giving you, Aiya, and Emi trouble, is he?"

"I've been fine, thank you and no he hasn't," Nozomi replied politely. "And it's Aichi…" She was reminded of her mother when she mispronounced his name a few times. At least her mother-in-law was aware of her son's true gender.

"No need to speak politely to me, Nozo-chan," Mrs. Sendou reminded, holding her palm towards the younger woman as if pausing her. She then noticed the list in Nozomi's grasp. "Could that be the list of ingredients for my husband's special curry?"

"Ah! Yes it is!"

Mrs. Sendou shook her head lightly with a frown. "You won't find those ingredients here."

"I don't understand."

"Those ingredients must be fresh, straight out of the garden and or the wild," the old woman said sternly. Nozomi stared at her puzzled. The old woman pointed to a random direction down the street. "You would have to go to the forest for them."

"Through the forest that everyone in this town is afraid of entering?" Nozomi asked, a mix of concern and shock in her voice. The old woman nodded.

"My husband wasn't afraid and ignored the people. I wouldn't want you to go though." The old woman mentally cringed that she should have kept her mouth shut.

"Why?" Her mother-in-law had just told her where to find the ingredients and now suggested that she shouldn't go? "I've recently entered a Curry contest and…of how much I want to share my cooking…"

Mrs. Sendou sighed. "My husband was like that too. He loved cooking and making people smile through his creations." There was a slight pause for a moment. She glanced into the woman's cerulean eyes in a stern manner. "Please, don't go into the forest."

Nozomi glanced back into her amethyst orbs. She still felt a little confused, but concern of why her mother-in-law didn't want her to go to the forest. She wasn't afraid. All she wanted were the ingredients to make a unique type of curry. The woman gave the older woman a soft smile.

"Don't worry, I will enter the forest and make sure to come home safely."

Mrs. Sendou calmly closed her eyes in defeat. It was pointless to reason with her now of entering the forest. She also figured one of the reasons why her son married this woman; and admitted the couple giving birth to two beautiful children. "If you say so, then I suggest you hurry before it gets dark." Nozomi gave a quick nod before rushing towards the forest.

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A mixture of purple, orange, and blue have covered the once blue sky; and the clouds that reflected the colors of the sky were scattered. A crow's call echoed among the crowd of trees, which caused chills to run down the woman's spine. Nozomi glanced around her surroundings holding her heart close to her, while in her other hand a basket full of wild fruits and mushrooms. She stood near the small mushroom patch. The trees stood tall and still and so were the bushes. Nozomi could not see past the trees in a far distance. Seeing the holes in the trees and how the branches were formed, it seemed like she was being watched carefully.

Fear had licked her spine as she whipped her head to different directions searching for the path to return to town, but no path was in sight. Night slowly crept its way as the sun set bringing worry upon the woman.

She needed to find shelter and fast. There was no guarantee of what could be hidden in the forest and she wanted to prevent of meeting danger. A pit of guilt churned inside of her, a smack in the back of her head that it was a bad idea to enter the forest. Also, ever since she entered, her mind was fully on getting the ingredients that she didn't noticed of getting lost.

The sound of a branch cracking as if someone or something stepped on it startled Nozomi and made her sprint north. She continued to run in almost panicked ignoring the numbness in her legs and feet, not daring to look back if anyone was chasing after her. Another call from a crow made her run as fast as she could.

She ran passed the foliage down the path and when her legs no longer had the strength to move, she weakly collapsed forward towards a rusty gate with vines wrapping around it. As she fell, the gate was accidentally opened with the hinges squeaked. Nozomi closed her eyes feeling the coolness of the grass beneath her. A moment later, she felt a pair of arms scooping her up in a cradle and being taken in to the abandoned manor.

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There was a brief silence for a moment as few pairs of eyes gazed at the sleeping woman on the cushion chair, a teal colored blanket covering her frame from shoulder to knees and feet in a bucket of cold water. The fire burning in the fireplace behind the chair made the room cozy and warm.

"Do you think she'll help Master?"

"Isn't she…. a bit too old for him?"

"Old is an understatement."

Nozomi stirred. The figures in her sight were blurred until it soon cleared as her eyelids fully opened. "Ah, you're awake," a man with spiked green hair with glasses in a white chef outfit spoke. Nozomi glanced around warily. "Where…." As she sat upright, she slouched back holding her head as a migraine throbbed in her head.

"Take it easy," the chef advised.

"Just rest a little longer," the maid added. She had long light purple hair and wore a maid's outfit. Her long sleeved black dress reached to mid-calves, white cuffs folded at her wrists, and a white apron tied and worn over the black dress.

"Should we let the Master know of our guest?" a boy with raven spiked hair with a small ponytail tied in the back said, a bit curious and concern. He wore a long-sleeved faded bronze shirt and dark long capri pants, and dark platform shoes. A straw hat was tied and hung behind his head and shoulders. A blonde gave the boy a quizzical brow.

"Knowing milord, I don't think he….." seeing the astonished faces of the others, the blonde paused for a moment. "He's…behind me, isn't he?"

"Shin, Misaki, Kamui, Miwa, what is she doing here?" the Master's demanding voice and piercing golden cat-like eyes from the shadows made his servants cringe. "I don't accept trespassers!"

"Well….we spotted her rushing towards the castle as if wolves were chasing her and collapsed at the gate," Shin explained. "I…carried her in here."

The Master's eyes narrowed at the woman who froze at his gaze. He stepped into the light revealing a brown-clawed foot with hind legs; sharp claws protrude from the furry toes before revealing his full form. Nozomi gasped in horror at the sight of a beast-a werecat. The beast wore a navy cape that was tied in a knot at the nape of his furry neck and flowed down to the floor. He also wore faded dark blue pants with a black belt, the rims of the pants reached to his knees and were torn. A long tail stuck out from behind through his pants where need be.

"Well, carry her out," the Beast ordered.

"Please, I got lost in the forest and I'm tired," Nozomi pleaded, still afraid being under the Beast's presence.

"You shouldn't have entered the forest in the first place!" the Beast chided. Nozomi felt a pang in her heart then, feeling a bit of guilt.

"Milord, its dark outside and who knows what's out there in the forest," Miwa reasoned. The Master glanced at the blonde at the corner of his eye for a moment before adverting to the woman.

"Very well, she will stay here for the night and return home first thing in the morning," he advised. "You, woman, will join me for dinner…" he paused as he glanced at her feet. "…until you feel better."

"Thank you so much," Nozomi chimed.

"I shall prepare the food, pots, and pans!" Shin chimed before rushing towards the kitchen.

"I shall ready the tableware," Misaki said curtly before excusing her self. "And prepare her room."

"I shall help Shin by gathering the vegetables, herbs, and spices from the garden!" Kamui chimed before rushing out of the dining room.

Miwa whisked his head left to right watching his co-workers leave. He then stood still for a moment with both pairs of eyes on him, with his master giving him a stern look that can almost give one chills down his spine. "Um…" the blonde thought nervously.

"Miwa…"

"Y-yes, milord?"

"You'll be the entertainment."

"….."

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The European, unique chandelier hung a few feet above the dining table where the Master and Nozomi sat emanating a warm glow to the dark dining room. The Master sat at the end of the table with Nozomi at his right. Nozomi didn't confess to the Beast about his table manners and how he ate his meal was….beastly. She was afraid the Beast would be angry with her again and didn't want to risk it.

The Master mentally nodded with an indifferent expression as Nozomi talked about her children and how much they were the world to her. Although, she tend to worry about Aichi and thankfully Emi helps her by keeping an eye on him. She took out a recent picture of them from her wallet and showed it to the Beast and pointed to who was who.

He stared at the picture for a moment. He admitted to himself that Emi did look like a cute, bright girl and will grow up into a beautiful young woman like her mother. Also, of Aichi looking like his mother. He continued to gaze at Aichi…his sapphire eyes full of innocence staring into his; a bit of desire and ecstasy pound in his heart.

"One of your servants mentioned you have a garden, am I right?" Nozomi inquired, knocking the Beast back to his normal senses. "The reason why I came to the forest was to find ingredients for my father-in-law's special curry. I entered into this contest and wanted to try and make his curry," she admitted. The Master stared at her for a moment. He slightly remembered an old man came here the same way this woman did. Could he have been?

"I'll show you to the garden if you wish," the Master said sternly.

"Thank you, I would like that." Nozomi smiled. The woman and Beast stood up from their seats, then the Beast led her towards the garden behind the manor.

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Nozomi slightly gasped in amazement. The garden was filled with fresh vegetables neatly lined vertically, each different vegetable in different rows with pictures attached to sticks indicating the row. In another patch were the herbs with an indication sign. The garden also reflected the glow from the crescent moon that was slightly hidden behind the clouds.

"Feel free to pick as many as you like," the Master said calmly giving her an approved nod. Nozomi grinned and gave him thanks before bending and kneeling for the vegetables and herbs. She picked them and handled them and the garden with care, placing the products in her basket.

The Beast watched her carefully as an image of Aichi flashed in his mind. The sudden feeling in his mind, heart, and gut… he wanted to meet him. Although, its impossible for him to enter the town frightening the residents, and afraid to scare or won't be able to see Aichi if the people gathered to kill the Beast. He gave an awkward cough as Nozomi chimed that she was finished.

"As payment of the herbs and hospitality, you are to have your son return and stay here with me forever," the Beast ordered coldly. "Or stay in the dungeon for eternity."

Fear, confusion, and worry licked the woman's spine as she grasped tightly to her heart, fear and worry over her son, Aichi. She was grateful for the herbs and hospitality, but it all ended in a tough situation. If she doesn't comply, she may never see her children again and they would worry sick over her. It had astonished her hearing, in her opinion, the hidden price behind the hospitality.

The Beasts' servants mentally sighed a bit of relief that the payment wasn't her own life unlike an old man they met once. During the first two years of working under him, they went through his stubbornness and coldness. And now, with this woman…. The servants hardly understood what exactly goes on in their master's mind, but could only guess.

Nozomi gently closed her eyes, not glancing into the Beast's golden orbs anymore. She gave a slight nod with a saddened frown, releasing any negative thoughts or feelings. "Yes, I will do as you say." She quickly reopened her eyes as fur brushed against her skin. The Beast took her hand in his huge paw and placed a golden locket with a rose engraved on it and a golden chain dangling from it. She opened the lid to find a compass; a red arrow was still at "N" north.

"Use this compass to get home and give your son this compass to find his way here," the Master ordered firmly. "I will wait until sunset tomorrow for his arrival. If he doesn't come by then…."

Nozomi gave a firm nod. "I understand."


	4. Chapter 3

_Tick tock__Tick tock… _

For the umpteenth time, Aichi glanced up at the wall clock. His and Emi's textbooks and homework were spread on the coffee table where he sat; although Emi's was neatly stacked in a pile at the corner of the table. He looked down at his algebra homework before looking at the clock again, the hands not have moved an inch and seconds passing by. His mother had not come home last night or this morning, which caused Emi to worry. He was worried too, but tried to assure Emi that she was all right and probably with a relative or friend. Emi had argued their mother would have called, which had him taken aback for a moment. Aichi had assured her for the second time making Emi calm down for a moment. They helped each other preparing dinner and breakfast, making sure to make extra just in case their mother comes home out of notice.

Aichi looked back at his algebra homework and tried to focus and not get so distracted. He racked his brain for a moment in concentrating on a certain problem. He started to nibble at the tip of the rubber eraser at the tip of his pencil. His eyes closed shut trying to remember the lecture when they went over a similar question, but couldn't since he wasn't paying any attention. During classes, his attention was mostly on daydreaming and Vanguard. He released an aggravated sigh. He glanced towards the door as the doorbell rang and wondered who it could be. He stood up and made his way towards the door. As he turned the doorknob and peeked, he quickly shut the door but a black shoe stopped it from closing.

Aichi took a few steps back as the door opened revealing a tall red haired young man. "R-Ren-san, wha-what are you doing here?" he stammered. And how did Ren knew of where he lived…. on second thought, Aichi didn't want to think about it.

Ren gave a devious, yet gentle smile. He was dressed formally in a gothic-Victorian outfit. A long black coat flowed down to his ankles; folded sleeves at his wrist and had yellow rims and unique design. A red pin at the collarbone held a white handkerchief hung loosely. He wore a dark vest over a white blouse, the ruffled sleeves sticking out from the sleeves of the coat. He had white gloves and a dark red sash at his waist, black pants and boots with heels an inch high. His long red hair was in a low ponytail. "To see my lovely, future bride of course! You have always been on my mind, Aichi. It makes me miss you every time when I don't see you in person," he said wistfully.

Aichi stared at him for a moment. "Um…I…. please leave. My sister will be home soon." Emi had left the house sometime earlier as they were a bit low on batteries for certain appliances.

"You're alone," Ren said, with an amused sparkle in his crimson eyes. As Aichi was about to take another step back, Ren grabbed firm of his wrist and lifted him in his arms bridal style. He kicked the door closed with his foot before heading towards the living room.

"Ren-san, please…put me down!" the blue-haired boy cried as he struggled a little, his cheeks a tint of red hue. Ren hummed lightly as if pretending Aichi liked being carried like a princess and of what they were going to do next.

Ren gently laid Aichi on his back on the couch not setting his crimson eyes away from his sapphire ones before pinning the boy down. Aichi fidgeted a little as Ren pressed his body against his. The boy's heart beat rapidly. "Relax…" Ren whispered soothingly in the boy's ear, placing his hand at the side of the boy's lower waist to feel him slightly shaking. Aichi bit his bottom lip quivering from nervousness. He didn't want this…not with Ren.

As Ren lowered himself with puckered lips to give the boy butterfly kisses, Aichi yelped, "S-stop!" his cheeks flushed red. Ren looked at him quizzically. "Hm?"

This was wrong…he thought this was wrong… "Why me, Ren-san?" the younger boy looked at the older one with a mixture of concern and demand.

"Ren, just call me Ren. You make me feel old when you call me "Mr.""

"There are other girls you could marry and…. I'm only a beginner at Vanguard and you're a champion," Aichi continued. "Why me?"

The red head stared at him for a moment before a gentle smile graced his lips. "Because… at first sight of you in one of the card shops, I couldn't set my gaze off of you. Your innocence and cuteness… would give me serenity in my life," he replied simply.

"You're….older than me…"

"Age doesn't matter when it comes to love." Ren gave a light chuckle. "You give weak excuses of why we can't be together." Aichi pursed his lips in a bit of annoyance. The redhead gave a light laugh admitting how adorable the bluenette looked.

Ren sat up and held both of Aichi's hands in his. He stared into his sapphire irises once more commenting how beautiful they were, sparkling like the stars reflecting the sea at night emanating an enchanting feel. One day on their honeymoon, he hoped to share that moment in that serene, magical place with Aichi.

"Aichi, I've waited too long," he began firmly. Aichi started blankly at him, not agreeing of what the redhead just said. He barely knew Ren personally, but didn't mention it as he let Ren to continue. Ren searched in his coat pockets and took out a small black box. He opened the lid revealing a diamond ring. "Marry me, Aichi Sendou. We will not only play Vanguard together, but also I shall share my fortune, happiness, and fame with you as my Queen."

"Um…."

"Please say ye-"

_CRASH_

Aichi became astonished as Ren collapsed face down on his lap and spotted broken pieces from a vase scattered over him and on the floor. He glanced up to see an upset Emi. "E-Emi!"

"Mou! Aichi, remember what Mom said about letting strangers into the house?" Emi chided, not having any remorse for hitting the Vanguard champion on the head.

"But…he….let himself in…." he replied nervously in defense. Emi sighed and glanced down at the unconscious Ren. "We should discard him before Mom comes home," she suggested. Aichi nodded in agreement. With that, Aichi and Emi grabbed each of his arms and dragged him towards the door. Aichi turned the knob and the siblings pushed Ren onto the front lawn.

"I'm sorry, Ren-san, I don't deserve you," Aichi chirped in a calm manner before shutting the door.

Ren rubbed his head and grimaced as if he had a headache. A tip tap caught his attention towards a pair of navy boots, one responsible for the tapping. His eyes trailed from the boots, to lean legs, and up to see a woman with vivid blue hair and cerulean eyes. She gazed down at him with a mix of concern and irritation, hands on her hips. Silence enveloped between them for a moment. Ren pouted.

"He's just playing hard to get!"

Asaka stared at him for a moment before sighing. A man with spiked violet hair suddenly arrived. "Ren-sama, the chapel is ready for your…." Ren passed by the man without a word with a grimace and holding his head with one hand. Tetsu glanced at the blue-haired woman with concern.

"Don't ask," she spoke.

Moments later, the Sendou residence was quiet inside and out and Aichi and Emi had cleaned up the mess when Ren was there. The siblings worked quietly on their homework until the door opened. Their face shone with relief as they spotted their mother as she walked in, then became concern as a look of worry was shown on her face.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Emi asked. Nozomi glanced at Aichi before embracing him as if it was the last time to see him. Aichi's eyes widened, confused.

"Aichi…. I'm sorry, so so sorry," she cried.

"Mom, please tell me, what's wrong?" Aichi pleaded. Nozomi released her embrace and wiped the unreleased teardrops from her eyes. She had to tell him…she had to. She breathed in.

"Aichi, please forgive me."

With that, she told of her journey into the forest and that it hadn't gotten late. She realized at the last minute that she was lost. She ran thinking something was watching and hunting her and found herself in the abandoned manor. She then received hospitality by the Beast and his servants and mentioned the price she had to pay. Emi gasped lightly as Aichi became stunned. His features softened seeing how guilty his mother was and made his decision. He gently touched his mother's hand and smiled.

"I'll go," he said softly. He gave his sister an assured smile as she protested. Nozomi stared at him for a moment. She was both grateful and worried as he was willing to stay at the manor.

Nozomi handed him the compass that the Beast gave her. "Use this to find your way to the manor," she informed. "And he said that you didn't need to bring anything with you." Aichi gripped tight on the compass and gave a firm nod.

Moments later, Nozomi, Emi, and Aichi stood at the door. Nozomi gave a gentle, chaste kiss on Aichi's forehead. After whispering their goodbyes, Aichi rushed towards the gate. He gave one last smile and wave before heading towards the manor with his sister and mother watching after him.


	5. Chapter 4

A/n: I know I mentioned about characters being OOC at the start. I just wasn't sure if I would portray the characters as IC or not.

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The Beast drummed his claws against the wooden table with a bored expression on his face. He gazed out the window from the corner of his eye, noting it was almost sunset and Aichi had not arrived based on what he heard from Miwa. His golden orbs averted from the window towards a random part of the room in front of him, anticipating that Aichi will come.

Miwa watched his Master idly from behind. His duty as the butler (sometimes as errand boy bidding to his lord's whims outside the manor, and being considered entertainment) was keeping a close eye on his Master. Also, making sure everything goes accordingly to Master's wishes with the other servants, Miwa would often direct the servants in what they needed to accomplish. Although, nothing out of the "ordinary" had happened during the last two years, until they heard about a guest staying here at the manor. The servants had then gotten busy preparing for Aichi's arrival since this morning. Their Master tended to sleep from morning when the sun is up until sunset (the blonde mentally called him a "lazy cat") and would then wander around the manor during the night. However, for once he decided to wake up a little before sunset. Earlier that morning, the blonde brought his Master's meal when ordered as the lord first woke up. Aafter that, his Master had not left his spot at the table by the window in his chambers ever since.

The Master grind his teeth, becoming a bit annoyed at the ticking sound of the Grandfather clock. He looked out the window seeing the sun had disappeared behind the forest and only a mixture of purple, orange, and navy blue remain in the sky. Miwa pursed his lips and as he parted them to break the hours of silence…

The chamber's door slammed open when Kamui barged in, causing a pair of eyes to turn his way.

"Master! He's here!" the boy exclaimed.

_About time_ the Master mused. Miwa mentally sighed with relief. The Master gave his servants a stern glance. "Don't just stand there, entertain him, feed him, take him to his chamber."

"Aren't you going to greet him, milord?" Miwa pressed. The Beast averted his glance towards the window.

"I expect to meet him at dinner tonight. Have Misaki tend to his needs in his chamber."

Miwa gave a bow. "Yes, milord." Kamui rushed towards the manor entrance as Miwa exit the room to see his Master staring off into the distance out the window. He closed the door after him and headed to greet their guest.

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Aichi stared at the wooden doors in front of him then looked around warily. The compass had led him here and he became skeptical at first glance of the abandoned manor. Rusty gates with vines and moss covering parts of the gates guarded the estate. The manor's outer walls and poles had a few cracks and vines with moss covering at the bottom. Aichi glanced back to see grass growing from the cement pathway. It surprised him a little that there were actually people living in this place.

Aichi took a deep breath. As he reached to ring the doorbell, the door opened revealing the butler of the manor. The butler who greeted him smiled and gestured for the youth to come inside.

"Welcome, we've been expecting you!" the blonde chimed, his blue-gray eyes glint almost in a welcoming manner. He wore a long-sleeved blouse with the cuffs folded at his wrist. A dark olive unbuttoned vest was worn over the blouse and a golden chain to a pocket watch stuck out and hung from his pocket. A black ribbon was tied at the collar. He wore dark long pants and polished black shoes.

Aichi glanced at him, almost lost in words and just slightly nodded. He then looked forward to meet the other servants: a chef, maid, and gardener. They introduced themselves and informed of Aichi to ask them if they needed anything.

"Ah…. thank you…" Aichi replied warily.

"Misaki will take you to your room," Miwa said. The maid gave a silent curt nod before turning her heel, gesturing Aichi to follow her down the corridors and up the steps with the light from the lamp in her grasp guiding them.

Aichi looked around warily of their surroundings at the walls, ceilings, and the décor that filled a certain empty space. Even in the dimly lit hallway with the only light glowing from the lamp, he was able to distinguish detailed paintings of landscapes and portraits of noblemen and women. He wondered if they once lived in this manor, although the way they glance at the viewer could cause a chill down someone's spine as if they were in a horror movie.

As he looked around while trying to pay attention in his steps, a sudden thought crossed his mind. The manor had appeared rust and abandoned, but on the inside it was kept under pristine condition as if years had not affected it. He was about to press the question to Misaki before she stopped in front of a room.

"This is will be your room," she informed calmly. She turned the knob to open the door. Aichi lightly gasped in astonishment as the maid flicked the lights revealing a comfortable bedroom.

On the side of the room to his right stood a tall white dresser or closet and if you would look inside, there would be a mirror and clothes you wouldn't expect to wear daily. Next was a wooden-autumn colored tabletop with a lamp and one drawer. Under the drawer was an empty space where one could place a dictionary or phonebook.

In the middle of the room against the wall beside the tabletop was a Queen-size canopy bed, the curtains tied to the stands. Across the room stood a tall white bookshelf with various books and near it were the glass windows, the polyester curtains hung on the sides. Under the window was a small bench covered in cushion and pillows neatly lined against the walls. On the other side of the room were a polished wooden table and a chair with a cushion.

Aichi stared, almost lost in words as he lightly grasped his heart. Not only was the room looked comfortable, it was bigger than his own room. _I…I can't…._ he mused. The room reminded him of nobles that he had heard and seen in movies, and also so did their guests. And with him, the hospitality that he would be sleeping in this very room made him grateful…very grateful.

Misaki glanced at the corner of her eye seeing the astonished look on the boy's face. Was it too much for him? Well, unlike her, her co-workers and her Master, this will be his first night here so of course it's to be surprised about. She lightly tapped on his shoulder, which caused the boy to snap out of his trance and look at her. He seemed a bit uncertain she surmised. She bit her inner bottom lip.

"The Master provided this room for you and wants you to live comfortably," she told him with a calm manner.

"I…. thank you…" he replied, shyly. She gave him a small smile before giving him a little push wanting him to look around the room.

Aichi stepped onto the carpet floor as his eyes wonder aimlessly at the painted ceiling and walls and the furniture. His fingers traced the surfaces of the furniture and fabric with a light touch, feeling the rich textures and/or smoothness of them.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind as the maid watched the boy explore the room. "The Master expects you to attend dinner with him tonight," the maid informed calmly.

"Oh, I'm not going to dinner," Aichi replied, not turning to face the maid. His eyes scanned through a random page of one of the books. A certain part of the page caught his eye and what he found interesting. At the moment, he didn't have a second thought to his answer and felt he wanted to explore a bit of this manor.

Misaki blinked and looked at him idly. The boy's tone wasn't in a stern or bratty manner, but honest and simple. She mentally sighed. Her Master won't take the news lightly if he ever found out.

She gradually made her way towards the boy, and cleared her throat with a few minor coughs. Although, her coughs were almost silent as the boy didn't hear them. "Would you like a bath after a long journey?" she suggested warmly. The boy turned his profile to look at her.

It was true; the path was long from his house to this massive estate and he had gotten tired along the way so he rested for a bit in the forest. Due to his somnolence, he took such a while to reach the manor. Not to the mention most parts of pathway in the forest wasn't to kind on his feet. Also, after reaching this chateau and seeing inside, he almost forgot about his tiredness and his sore feet.

Aichi nodded without saying a word. Misaki turned her heel and expected him to follow her. Aichi placed the book on a random shelf between the books and hastily followed.

As the pair reached the bathroom, which was several doors down from his room, Aichi couldn't help stare in awe on how big the room was. Also, the "tub" didn't look a bathtub at all but a big Jacuzzi against the porcelain tiled wall. At a closer inspection, he saw the faucet in shape of a koi fish and also, steps to walk up to enter the tub and inside the tub was like a real Jacuzzi.

"Would you like to try using bath salts?" Misaki offered. She stood by the cabinet on the far right side of the room where the toilet and sink were. The cabinet had three shelves, three rows, and mirrored doors and was filled with bottles of bubble baths, bath salts, shampoo, and conditioner. Each of them were listed accordingly to their scented flavors.

"Eh?" Curiousness and confusion swarmed in his sapphire orbs for a moment. Why would he need bath salts? Although, he had seen bottles of them in the shower room at home and wondered why his mother bought them. His first thought was that it was for decoration.

"Bath salts relieve tension, muscle soreness, and aches," the maid informed briefly. "Also, a few other things."

"Oh, I guess… I can try…" Aichi said reluctantly.

"Pick a scent," Misaki gestured to the various scents in the cabinet. "And we don't have non-scented ones."

Aichi scanned the rows as he thought for a moment with a finger to his chin until his sapphire orbs caught a certain one that he had decided. He pointed to his decision.

"That one."

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Meanwhile, in the dining room sat the Beast at the end of the table where the Master of the manor and/or castle would sit, and Miwa standing anxiously beside him. The Beast had a bored expression on his face holding the side of his face in his palm, while the other fiddling with the spoon and golden orbs seemingly gazed into the distance.

The Beast grunted as he wondered what was taking Aichi so long to arrive. He couldn't possibly be lost since Misaki was with him.

"I'm sure he'll be down in no time," Miwa chirped nervously, almost reading his Master's thoughts. He mentally whacked himself in the head for such an irrelevant answer. He had assured his Master a few times before, which now made the Beast grew impatient. It had been a few hours of them waiting for Aichi to come down for dinner; and not to mention Miwa was feeling his muscles stiffened standing in place beside the table at his Master's side for so long.

The Master gave his butler a cold glance which caused the blonde to swallow in a nervous gulp. A moment later, the doors swung open revealing the young gardener. Miwa gave Kamui a look that almost read, "Please tell me our guest is coming soon or else milord is gonna have my head for dinner!" The blonde hoped Aichi would come down soon, take their orders to Shin, and his mind could relax in peace throughout the night and day.

Kamui gave the blonde a silent, quizzical glance before turning his attention towards the Beast. The Beast gave the boy a look in wanting to know the news of their guest. Kamui released a slight cough. "From what I heard from Misaki, Aichi won't be attending dinner tonight," he informed.

Miwa cursed in almost panicked and waited for a certain response from the Master. He glanced at him with a cautious look. The Beast's cat eyes were widened slightly, his form still on the chair. His expression then showed a mixture of indifference and Miwa could imagine his master's mind have gone blank. The Beast's eyes then slightly narrowed almost into slits.

"What?" he said in a low growl.

"He's…..not coming to dinner?" sensing the dark tone in the Beast's voice, Kamui replied nervously mixed with a bit of courage. Both servants became startled as the Beast slammed both of his paws on the table causing the chandelier to shake above and the tableware, china, and middle piece to jump a few inches high. The slamming of the table almost echoed in the dining room.

In a heartbeat, the Beast stormed his way out of the dining room on fours towards the boy's room with his cape violently flowed to his movements. His servants quickly jumped out of their master's way in fear of being trampled.

"Ack! Milord!" Miwa cried as he chased after the antsy Beast.

The Beast turned the knob to Aichi's bedroom door and seeing that it was unlocked, he slammed the door to the wall, causing the light-haired maid to startle for a moment and made her almost drop the clothes she was folding at the bedside. She whipped her head to see her Master's golden orbs scan the room for a certain blue-haired boy until his met her cobalt ones. His eyes gleamed of impatience.

"Where is he?" he demanded in a growl. Misaki breathed through her nostrils gaining her composure.

"He's in the bath… wait!" she called as the Beast quickly made his way towards the bathroom. He didn't seem to have heard her warning call as his steps echoed the halls in a thumping sound. She soon met Miwa at the door front who made a signal of wanting to follow their Master. She stared at him blankly before mentally sighing. She placed the clothes on the bed and followed him to chase after the Beast.

The Beast pounded on the door as soon as he reached the bathroom. From inside, Aichi surfaced from underwater and his head peeked from many surrounding bubbles. A few suds were on his head and wet hair flowed over his skin. He wiped the water from his face brushing his bangs to the side in the process. His orbs glanced towards the door curiously. He wondered who, or what, was banging on it.

"Hello?" he called. A loud, hoarse voice shouted in a chiding manner,

"Why didn't you come to dinner?"

"I do not eat dinner when I am not hungry!" Aichi called defiantly. The Beast scowled at the door, almost peeking through it as it if it were transparent.

"Come out right now! It's an order!"

"The only ones that quote order me quote are my mother and sister," Aichi replied flatly. "And besides I don't work here and aren't I your guest?"

"They haven't made eye contact and yet they are arguing like a married couple," Miwa remarked with a hint of a joking manner in his tone. He and Misaki were hiding behind the wall.

The Master's patience was wearing thin and not to mention his empty stomach causing him to be this irritated and impatient. He groaned in his throat in bit of annoyance, mentally rubbing the bridge of his nose. His orbs glanced down at the doorknob and gripped it. He realized the door was unlocked at one turn.

Aichi stared into the distance noticing it had become quiet once again when Misaki first left him alone. He looked at his hands and noticed his fingers had gotten pruney signaling that it was time to step out of the bubble bath. He stood up and held onto the sides of the tub preventing himself from slipping on the wet and soapy surface as he carefully stepped onto the small steps.

His furry brows furrowed staring at knob. He would confront the boy and thought he had not choice to drag him down to the dinner table and get it over with. The door opened to pause to a small opening as sweet fragrance of roses and vanilla tickled his nostrils. A few bubbles floated into the air and a couple managed to pop on his feline nose.

Time seemed to pause for a moment as the Beast opened the door to see Aichi fully exposed with a few suds on parts of his body. Aichi's eyes dilated as he gasped in surprise and horror seeing the Beast's eyes locked on him….naked. The Beast's eyes widened slightly before they narrowed and studied the boy from head to toe. Aichi's body froze instantly catching the Beast studying him. A chill suddenly run down his spine. He wasn't sure whether to either be embarrassed or horrified in the situation he was in. What was the Beast thinking? Will he be eaten or…

The only reaction Aichi could think of was….

Aichi shrieked as he covered his chest and cheeks flushed red as a tomato, his scream as high as he could muster out of embarrassment and fear. His scream knocked the Beast to his senses; the Beast quickly turning his heel with a disgruntled look on his face. One couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or not with his eyes overshadowed by his furry brow. He treaded down the hallway and as he passed by Miwa and Misaki…

"Bad impression?" Miwa remarked with a mock grin.

"Shut up," the Beast snapped lightly. He turned his head to the butler and maid. "And if he doesn't come to dinner the next time, have him starve!" he ordered harshly before storming down the hallway. Miwa and Misaki watched him idly, almost astonished before switching glances.

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Aichi laid on his side on the bed clad in only a white and blue robe. He held both of his hands to his chest with slightly clenched fingers. He shut his eyes as he brought his legs up, his cheeks flushed red. The incident in the bathroom couldn't leave his mind. He released a soft whimper.

Misaki closed the curtains before glancing at the boy at the corner of her eye. "Don't worry about it too much. It'll pass," she said calmly. She hoped deep in her mind her assurance would ease the boy's thoughts. As she turned her heel, Aichi squirmed a little making himself comfortable. He thought the soft fabric of the robe and the mattress felt cozy.

Misaki stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Before you go to sleep, please change into your nightgown that I have picked for you." Her tone was like of how a mother would order her child. She paused once more seeing Aichi had fallen asleep and only guessed he didn't hear her. She sighed. It felt like a long day and she felt she needed to work on other priorities. She didn't feel like changing Aichi into his nightgown while he slept, anyway.

The maid carefully pulled back the covers and covered the boy up to his shoulders. She then straightened her back; a small smile graced her lips, her eyes passionate. She couldn't help but admit this boy looked innocent as he slept.

She turned on her heel and headed towards the door. With a lamp in hand, she flicked off the lights then closed the door behind her.


	6. Chapter 5

Thanks to Mel for beta-reading!

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Aichi stirred along with a slight moan. His eyes then shot open and he quickly sat up in his bed with a gasp of breath. He gazed around his surroundings before flopping backwards, his head hitting the conforming pillow. He placed his forearm atop his forehead as he closed his eyes. The manor– and everything relating to it– wasn't a dream after all. He had half expected to wake up in his own bed, in his own house, as if emerging from a fairytale dream. But such was not the case. This also meant that the Beast….

He quickly shook off the thought as he pushed the sheets to the side and slid off the bed; flesh met the firm yet fur-like carpet. Aichi walked over towards one of the windows and leaned slightly over the bench beneath to reach the curtains. He took a small gander behind the drapery to see clouds overcast, guessing he woke up in mid-afternoon. He could only assume that since there wasn't a clock in sight in this room. He backed away from the window and swiftly turned to a profile. Maybe he could…explore this place a bit, he mused. He smiled at the thought. He didn't feel like going back and staying in bed anyway.

As he reached the other side of the bed, he spotted a pair of folded clothes on the cushion chair. The maid must have left them there while he was asleep. Without any hesitation or second thought of being watched or caught changing, he untied his robe and let it fall off his bare slender shoulders onto the carpet and got dressed.

Aichi twirled to get a good view of his attire: a teal blouse with a V-shape collar that rested an inch from his shoulders. Its long sleeves flowed to at least an inch away from his wrist and as he held his arm up, the sleeves hung at his elbow. At the collar, two white outlines on each side met a small white circle in the middle. And on both sleeves were two white lines circling around the end. White pants that reached from his waist to mid-calves filled the half of his outfit. He slipped on a pair of black shoes to complete the outfit. The ensemble as a whole was simple, he could admit, and comfortable. It wasn't too big or small and tight; the blouse, pants, and shoes were surprisingly his size!

The door clicked to the turn of the knob and was opened halfway. Aichi slid between the door and wall, entering the hallway. He made a few steps towards the middle then followed the pathway from when he was first escorted to his room.

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It had only been a few moments when Aichi found himself in a different hallway. He stopped as he heard a clang from a room a short distance ahead of him. After the clang came a cry of a man and screech of a cat.

"Ah! Sub-manager!"

"Meowr!"

Aichi peeked into the room, gripping the doorway, only to see the chef holding a cat's midsection. The cat had dark fur with white patch at the bottom half of his face, chest, belly, and all four paws. He had a blue collar and matching eyes. The cat struggled as he tried to break free from the man's grasp.

"Ah! Now… I am trying to prepare everyone's meal and you just had…." Shin chastised lightly.

"Meow…." The cat cried as if the chef didn't understand what he wanted.

Aichi watched the scene between man and feline idly. He admitted the scene was cute and a bit funny. He brought his knuckles to his lips as he felt a chuckle forming in his throat. He didn't want to cause attention that would get him into trouble. However, his stomach didn't agree with his thoughts as it released a hungry growl that caused a pair of eyes to look his way. Aichi blushed and bowed apologetically.

"S-sorry…" he chirped shyly. He soon realized the last time he ate was yesterday afternoon and it was just a tuna sandwich.

Shin lessened his grasp, letting the cat freely hop onto the counter. He gave a kind smile to the boy noticing his slither of shyness. "What would you like to eat? I could make you anything," he offered.

Aichi stared at him for a moment before thinking. "I would like… pancakes with maple syrup, please. And a cup of hot milk."

Shin nodded, absorbing the information. "Take a seat in the dining room for a moment and hope I won't make you wait long," he said. Seeing a lost look in the boy's blue eyes, he pointed towards the left behind him. "Dining room is that way," he directed. Aichi walked around the counter heading towards the direction.

The chef turned to the cat. "He could use a little company, don't you think?"

Sub-manager meowed before stretching and tailed after the boy.

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Miwa groaned as he walked down the hallway holding his head almost as if he had a headache. He had to deal with the Master being in not the brightest of moods all night and morning since he was the only one for the job. And of course, the other servants would never want to volunteer anyway. He felt a little groggy from the lack of sleep, not to mention hungry.

As he opened the door, he met Aichi who was a few inches away from bumping into him. Aichi gave a quick hello with a cheery look in his eyes before rushing down the halls. Miwa watched him, wondering what seemed to be the rush until the thought hit him. Aichi wanted to explore the manor and didn't seem like he wanted an escort.

Before the boy was out of his line of vision, the blonde quickly called out, "Don't go to the West Wing!" For that is where the Master's chamber was. Aichi didn't seem to hear since he didn't stop to look back for anything.

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The trees rustled as the wind brushed against them along with dark clouds covering the gray skies. Rain soon poured over the forest and manor.

It felt like hours wandering down the halls and corridors, not having the slightest clue of where you are and not knowing how to get back to the starting line. Aichi continued with that thought, glancing towards his surroundings down the halls that were supported by the lamps hung along the walls. He passed a tall glass window. Rain and wind tapped against the clear surface and drapes hung on either sides of it. Aichi suddenly paused in his tracks when he heard a nearby thump and soon saw the Beast up ahead from where he stood. He quickly hid behind the curtains hoping the Master wouldn't notice him.

The Beast walked past, not knowing Aichi was there. The boy peeked to see the Beast walking on his hind legs. He didn't seem upset or anything, Aichi thought studying the creature. As the Master reached further down the halls, Aichi thought for a moment whether to follow him or not. Curiosity took him over when he hastily followed, making sure not to be spotted.

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The Beast climbed the stairs with his cape flowing slightly behind him. Aichi held his head low as he advanced up the steps; the Beast was above him. Luckily, he didn't seem to be seen or noticed since the Beast did not turn to him. Aichi lowered to his knees and crawled when he reached the top of first stairwell. He stealthily glanced around a wall, catching glimpse of the Beast's back. The towering creature blatantly ignored the harsh weather outside the window across from him.

Aichi watched the Beast take the right corner and followed suit at a distance behind him. Few moments later, he found himself in front of two wooden doors. It must be the Master's chamber, he thought. Should he go inside? Or even take a look? There had to have been a reason why he followed the Beast, the Master of this manor. Or perhaps not and he was just curious?

Aichi drew in a breath and turned the knob, not realizing the unexpected discovery that lie in wait before him.


	7. Chapter 6

The door opened slowly with the hinges creaking. Aichi peeked inside the dark room, gripping the doorknob while his other hand grasp at the wooden surface. A sudden tight knot was formed in his stomach, nervous tension running up his spine. It wasn't from the sound of thunder erupting outside with lightning that lit the dark clouds, but it was upon his decision in entering the Beast's room without permission. And he had not spotted any sign of the Beast even by the faint light that had caused from the sparking bolts.

Aichi was about to take a step back until something on the far end of the room caught his eye. A faint glow emanated under a drapery covering something on a stand. It stood between the glass window and bed, close to the wall. He took a few steps towards the stand, ignoring any uneasiness in his mind and stomach as if he were in a trance.

His hand reached out to grab the fabric before, in a mere second, revealing what was hidden underneath: a red rose hovering inside the bell jar with the stem not touching the bottom. The delicate flower gave a majestic glow with tiny dew that shone almost like diamonds embedded on the outer petals. Only a few petals lay on the bottom.

Aichi gasped, eyes widened admired by its beauty. "It's….beautiful…."

"What are you doing here?"

Aichi almost jumped, startled by a sudden voice behind him. He gulped before turning a quarter profile then freezing in place. Blue eyes had met golden, chilled and demanding, eyes. The gaze only lasted for a second moment before blue eyes wandered shyly to the side, towards the floor.

"I was….curious…" Aichi admitted shyly.

"Curious?" the beast's voice perked, as if an adult was close in chiding a child.

"Exploring…and….."

"Stay out of my business," the Master said coldly. Aichi's head jerked up to glance at him, a light gasp released from slightly parted lips. The Master continued icily, "And I don't want to see you around here again."

Aichi's eyes widened almost close welled up. His lips quivered in a quiet whimper. Blue locks fell over his eyes as he bowed. "I'm sorry." He dashed out of the door to wherever his feet took him and not noticing of passing the servants. Their voices of concern were deaf to his ears as he made his way towards the doors, pulling the handles and squeezing his way to exit.

Cold droplets of water greeted him along with a whirl of breeze, whisking against his form the moment he exited the manor. Aichi dashed down the pathway towards the forest to as far as his legs could carry him. He didn't care where he was going as the Beast's words repeated over and over. Those words seemed to be the only thing that mattered on his mind and what drove him to tread further and further into the forest, splashing footsteps in his wake.

Why did the Beast want him to come to the manor only to be told later that he didn't want to see him around? It confused him. The long journey on foot… was it worth it only to be wasted? A heavy weight dragged his heart then. He wanted to go home….yet one side of him just wanted to be left alone. Where was home, now?

Aichi was soon snapped out of his thoughts when he slipped before tripping onto the ground. A muffled sound, twisted in agony, was torn from him upon impact. Mud had splashed onto his hair, skin, and clothes. When he carefully turned to his side to take a glimpse of what he tripped over, he winced. A dilapidated root. His left ankle he felt had been scraped and twisted. He guessed it must have been scraped by a nearby broken bark as well.

His leg muscles tightened, leaving him to lay still in the puddle, mixed of water, dirt, twigs, and leaves. He brought a laxed fist near his mouth and slowly closed his eyes. No one would find him in the middle of nowhere in this forest, especially in this storm. It made him slightly frightened. Would he freeze to death or starve with no one to ever know? His body shivered, eyebrows furrowed.

In what seemed to be less than a moment passed by, Aichi's eyes slightly flittered open at hearing footsteps coming towards his way. He couldn't tell where exactly they were but it was near. Who was it? Was that person lost too? His heart pumped in anticipation of who that person may be, yet he had a little doubt that s/he would save him. That doubt had come too soon, as arms cradled and lifted him off the ground. Fur? It was soaked too…

Too tired to care or realize who exactly his rescuer was, Aichi snuggled against the furry chest with his cheek resting on it. His eyelids had crumbled to a close and he soon fell in a limp slumber.

o0o0o

Aichi stirred. His eyes fluttered open; he stared towards the ceiling blankly as his vision adjusted to the blurred image. A soft moan vibrated in his throat and noticed by the feeling of comfy sheets and pillow he was in his guest room. What happened? Just a moment ago, he was outside letting nature bury him somewhere he expected no one to find him.

"You're awake"

Aichi shifted his gaze to Misaki sitting at his bedside. He whispered her name. Misaki returned with a concerned smile to rest for a while. And in seeing his curious yet confounded look on who had brought him back into the manor, she spoke, "The Master brought you back. I tended your wound."

He bolted in sitting up, hearing the mentioning of the Master. Why? Many thoughts dawned on him then. "Where is he?" he wanted to see and talk to him.

"He's in the lounge."

"Please take me there!"

Misaki eyed him for a moment. She silently mused over a few protests before noting the boy's pleading blue eyes staring at her. She figured with that look, getting him to change his mind would be a waste of breath. She nodded, complying with his wishes.

His lips curved into a smile, glad that Misaki agreed to lead him to the beast. Aichi pushed the covers to the side to climb out of bed and touched his bare feet onto the carpet. When he did, he noticed he wasn't in the attire he was in earlier. Aichi glanced down noting he wore a white long-sleeved Victorian night gown that reached to his mid-calf in length. The small ruffles tickled at his neck and slightly below, a red ribbon tied into a bow to fasten the gown. He felt a little space for his arms under the puffed sleeves; at the wrists were ribbons wrapped around. He mentally shook of this notice to focus on meeting the Beast.

Aichi let Misaki aid him as he limped, with her supporting his arm as they walked towards the hallway.

"The carpet is really wet…." Aichi commented.

"…I'll take care of that later," Misaki said, a little irritation present in her tone.

o0o0o

At the creaking sound of the hinges, the Beast and butler glanced towards the door with the Master's eyes flickering open while Miwa's averted from the beast. In spotting Aichi and Misaki, Miwa made his way to exit, saying he'd let Aichi be alone with the Master. He gave Aichi an assuring grin along with a little nudge inside the lounge before grasping the knob. He tended to the door after him, leaving it slightly open.

"I'm not even gonna ask why you're soaking wet," Misaki remarked. Miwa mumbled.

"Stupid cat of a Master."

Aichi fidgeted his fingers against the fabric of his gown. Seeing the beast's gaze didn't ease his sudden anxiety. Yes, he wanted to see the Master after bringing him back into warm shelter; however thinking back to the start of it all… His heart pounded a few beats per second. The silence from the Beast and cracking from the wood among the fire in the hearth didn't ease those poundings.

The Beast only stared at Aichi, studying his movements. He mentally sighed and gestured with his features for the boy to come closer. Aichi had took heed of the meaning, after a moment of figuring it out himself, and limped towards him stopping in front of the fireplace. The warmth swirled around him, lessening the cold that had soaked him earlier.

Aichi opened his mouth partly to speak shyly,

"I…. thank you….."

"You shouldn't have left," the Beast returned flatly.

"… well, um… you told me to leave…"

The beast frowned in thinking that he didn't mean it that way.

"…. Sorry." Perhaps it was a bad idea to enter the Master's bedroom without permission. Guilt had weighed on the boy's heart. He fell silent for a moment wondering what the creature in front of him would say about his naivety and curiosity.

"You are prohibited of leaving this manor," the Master ordered firmly breaking the silence.

Aichi knew this as he was told from his mother of her price. "So, what should I call you?" if he was going to stay for who knows how long, he might as well know how to address the Master of this manor. He felt it wouldn't sound right to refer to him as "beast", "creature", or of any similar sort. And wasn't sure about calling him "Master".

The Beast replied in a natural tone. "Kai"

"Kai-kun"


	8. Chapter 7

"_Kai-kun." _

Lids folded partly over orbs before retracting at the sound of his name said with an added honorific. It shouldn't be surprising to be referred to with such; but to Kai, he had not heard anyone call him with any honorific. He kept his gaze fixated on Aichi with a nonchalant visage whilst behind it, was at a loss of words.

Kai nodded off his musings before he suggested Aichi to go to bed as it was late at this hour of the evening. Aichi complied as he turned and limped towards the door. Oblivious to Kai's inner musings, the blue-haired boy wondered why Kai became silent in the calling of his name. Did he not like being addressed in that way? In being told to leave in a distinct way, Kai didn't want to discuss the topic.

Aichi paused in his tracks when he reached the doorway. He turned to give Kai a quick glance before looking away sheepishly. "Um….I…wouldn't mind joining you for dinner….next time…" In remembering his refusal of the other's invitation to dinner that night, he felt guilty. Kai was being a good host and perhaps he was rude to decline that offer. He felt he should make up for it. The boy's gaze fell towards the floor with an apologetic and guilt expression.

Kai took notice of the blue-haired youth's gestures. He didn't care anyhow after that night whether Aichi joined him for dinner or not. Perhaps he acted over demanding expecting to see the boy at the dinner table stat. After all, who would want to eat a meal with a horrific beast?

The Beast lightly scoffed. "Do as you like."

Aichi wasn't sure how to take the other's response. Would Kai really mind joining him for dinner? Or would it be a nuisance? Not wanting to stay rooted where he was and in case Kai may chide him out, Aichi left muttering a "Good night."

o0o0o0o

Several days past and Aichi's ankle healed, leaving him freely to wander the interior of the manor as he pleased. Today, he wasn't in the mood to leave his chambers as he laid on his belly on the bed. Aichi stared at his deck in front of him, arms folded under his chin. He released a sad sigh.

Aichi barely played the game. The only reason he had a deck was that Morikawa urged him to get one so he had more people to play with. And what better person is a classmate who was considered "weak" in the entire school. Aichi admitted to himself, and wouldn't ever voice it in public, that Morikawa was a terrible tutor. Aichi would lose every time he played and Morikawa's way of teaching confused him. But, in watching other fighters play in the shop, the game seemed like fun. If only he understood how to play.

The sound of a knock on the door caused Aichi to snap his attention towards the door. "Ah! Wh-who is it?"

"Miwa!"

"Ah….come in."

Without a second wasted, the door opened after a click at the turning of the doorknob presenting Miwa with a cheery glint in his blue gray orbs. The blonde butler noticed the cards spread before the bluenet on the bed and took steps closer to view them.

"Ah! Vanguard!"

Aichi blinked at the other's astonished yet ecstatic reaction to seeing his cards. "Ueh? You know Vanguard?"

"Uh, Yeah!" Miwa grinned with a ghostly snort. "It's a worldwide popular game, isn't it? We're not that old!" he laughed.

"…..I….I never said you were old…."

Miwa released a fake cough taking note of Aichi's bemused expression that meant the boy didn't understand fully of his attempt of half-joking. "Anyway, you play?"

Azure orbs glided down to his cards with head turning away. "I'm….a beginner…and honestly, barely played and know the rules…"

Miwa thought for a moment in taking notice of the boy's saddened expression. And then an idea hit him. "Hmm… I got just the thing!"

"Ueh?"

In less than ten seconds, Miwa darted out the door towards where else in the manor was Aichi's guess.

o0o0o0o

"Why should I?" Kai scoffed, not looking at his blonde servant. He sat on his cushioned chair, elbow resting on the armrest and knuckle against his cheek. Miwa had come barging in requesting that Kai of all people would fight his blue-haired guest.

"Well…he seemed interested in wanting to play. He even has a deck! What else can he do while being cooped here for who knows how long!" Miwa remarked.

"I only fight strong players."

"Searching for those players turned you into what you are now, didn't it?" the blonde interjected with a smug grin. Prodding Kai as a Beast was a risk to the blonde's life, but with Kai looking tamed and still on that chair, it seemed his life was spared.

"It means nothing." Kai didn't need a reminder of the consequences of his past actions as a cardfighter, especially coming from this blonde's mouth.

"Just give him a chance and fight him."

"You fight him yourself." Kai's eyes now baring towards the other's blue-gray ones.

"You're the strong one out of all of us. It's best for you to do it. And it's a way to make it up to him. Get a little closer. You know what I mean~"

Kai fell silent. During the past several days while Aichi's ankle healed, Kai had been avoiding eye contact with Aichi as well as wanting to speak with him. Despite giving the approval that the boy could eat dinner with him, Kai kept a distance. Was the reason being he was afraid? What was he afraid of, especially when it came to Aichi?

Fine. He was bored anyway. If Aichi had a deck, Kai assumed the boy knew how to play so there was no reason to explain the rules. A budding feeling began to form in his mind to make him wonder how good Aichi is in a Vanguard fight. Kai refused to show the sudden interest in his visage and decided to wait_ patiently_ this time. Kai gave the order to Miwa of where he would meet Aichi to play the game.

o0o0o0o

Aichi followed Miwa down the halls and corridors while holding his deck close to his chest. Earlier, Miwa arrived to his room calling for him to follow him right away as Kai wanted to see Aichi. Aichi pondered why Kai wanted to see him after avoiding him for some strange, yet personal to Kai, reason. Aichi had no intension to prod Kai as he didn't want to make his host upset.

The duo soon stopped in front of the doors after passing the door to the library. There was a room beside the library? Aichi piqued in curiosity to what was on the other side of the door they stood in front of. That answer was received as Miwa opened the door revealing the room that caused Aichi's eyes widened in amazement. The room was simple, yet modern and it was like a library. Instead of the usual books, it was a library of Vanguard cards with shelves reaching about ten-feet from the ground carrying packs, singles, and booster boxes stacked neatly. In Aichi's opinion, the amount of Vanguard merchandise here could not compare to what a card shop could carry on a public shelf. There were tables for standing and sitting that stood in rows in the center; and in the corner of the other side was a lounge to relax with cushioned chairs and sofas.

Kai sat naturally waiting at one of the tables set in the middle of the room with Shin, Misaki, and Kamui standing nearby. Miwa escorted Aichi further into the room then dropped him off at the opposing side of Kai. On the table, Aichi saw the play mat for the game consisting of the vanguard and rearguard circles, damage, deck and drop zones. Kai's deck had already been placed on the slot as well as his starting vanguard face down on the field.

"Let's waste no time in starting," Kai spoke, causing Aichi to wince at his tone. How long did Aichi make Kai wait? Was Kai irritaed at Aichi's time of arrival? Shaking off those musings, he nodded in understanding as he set down his deck with a shaky hand. He couldn't control the shakiness of his hands. The sharpness of Kai's tone gave Aichi an uneasy and nervous feeling that the other would be gravely upset with him if Aichi didn't give what Kai wanted. How good was Kai in the game of Vanguard? Aichi was just a novice.

In just a few turns with Aichi losing with six damage, Aichi was right that Kai would be upset with him. Not just the loss, but Aichi had slipped up with misplays and dropping a few cards while handling his cards.

How embarrassing.

Aichi fiddled his fingers shyly under the table, not wanting to give eye contact to anyone in the room. "I'm….sorry…." he muttered softly under his breath.

"Weak."

Aichi winced at Kai's comment. Kai sounded gravely disappointed in how the game played out. Despite it being true about Aichi, a counter spilled from his mouth yet it was voiced louder than his shy apology. "Well….my friend taught me…"

"Your friend is a terrible tutor."

Aichi spluttered before stifling laughter, hands cupping over his mouth in attempt to block the chuckles that followed. He knew he shouldn't find the criticism towards Morikawa funny, but he found it hilarious that he and Kai shared the same thought that Morikawa _is_ terrible tutor!

"….." Kai frowned, staring at the other with a quizzical gaze. What was so funny about him insulting Aichi's friend? At the same time, he never knew how the boy's laughter could be so precious like a melodious song, especially from a cute-looking boy.

Wait, thinking Aichi was cute? And being enchanted by his laughter, he was close to falling a little deep for the boy. Mentally, Kai quickly shook off his musings.

"I want to become strong and play more! It seems like a fun game. I want to be strong enough to make both players satisfied whether win or lose. Even you, Kai-kun! I want to have fun," Aichi chimed, all hints of disappointments of losing eroded. He smiled with a cheerful, innocent smile after mentioning the other.

Kai immediately stood from his chair avoiding eye contact with Aichi. He walked over to one of the shelves behind him and plucked a black box off of it. He opened the lid before taking out a card from the comfort of its protective hold. It was kept in the box in a condition like it was a rare diamond. Kai walked over to Aichi to hand him the card. The contents of the Vanguard card featured a knight in white armor.

"This is Blaster Blade; this is the only copy of him in the entire world. He will give you what you wish. Also, he had been known to be the strong Knight of Courage."

Aichi grasp the card gently as he took it from Kai, studying the Unit in awe. Somehow, he felt a mutual bond with Blaster Blade would form in the near future. Aichi glanced up at Kai with a warm smile whilst holding Blaster Blade close to his chest. "I'll treasure it. I'll become stronger one day and fight you again!"

Without first realizing it, Kai's lips curved into a slight smile. There was a sudden spark emitting within him; a spark that he would wait for Aichi and watch him grow into a strong cardfighter. He would hold onto Aichi's word and see if Aichi does the same.

Soon, Aichi played against the servants as they knew how to play. They gave him advice such as knowing when to guard from his hand or intercept. During the many plays, Kai watched Aichi closely on the sidelines. At the same time playing against the servants, friendships were formed and the servants weren't seen as "servants" in Aichi's eyes. Although, in the beginning, Aichi didn't want to consider them as such even though they were servants to the Master of the estate.

Moments after watching Aichi, Kai casually walked up to Aichi who was sitting and having a normal conversation with Kamui on a cushioned couch in the lounge part of the card library. Kai asked Kamui to be excused as he wanted to have a word with the blue-haired boy in which Kamui did as Kai wished.

"Everything in this room is your's, meaning you are free to make your own deck, even make various decks to try out." It was an honest and stern decision that Kai declared. Kai knew Aichi wasn't at _that_ stage yet and had long ways to go. For him to grow stronger, the only thing to do was give him everything in this room.

Aichi's eyes widened surprised. "E-e-every…. thing….? I-" He was about to decline the offer because he didn't think he deserved to own part of the property. Kai's visage read that he won't take no for an answer. Aichi heaved a light sigh. As a generous and modest soul, "Since this room is mine as you say, that leaves me freely decide what to do with it. That is, this room isn't just mine but everyone's…a room we can all enjoy Vanguard together!"


End file.
